help ihelp 中文版

Title

ihelp -- Open the online HTML or PDF manual help document for specific command using the default browser

Syntax

ihelp command_name [,
web
markdown
txt
ms
texfull
latex
format(#)
clipoff]

web quickly open a simple HTML version, which by default open a detailed PDF document

Format provide web link to online help document and automatically copy to the clipboard
markdown in markdown format

txt in plain text format, which can be pasted into the dialog box of Facebook or WeChat for Chinese users.

ms copy rich text punctuated with links to clipboard, which can be pasted into MicroSoft documents.

texfull in LaTeX full syntax format

latex in LaTeX compact format

format(#) in preset formats, including three modes

clipoff do not copy the link to the clipboard

Description

ihelp provides a quick and convenient way of opening online HTML or PDF version of 's official help files. Since the built-in file opened with the official command help can only be read through the Stata interface, which is not conducive to sharing and dissemination. ihelp fill this gap by allowing help files to be read and used independent of Stata. The only thing needed to be done is adding a www before the help to turn it into ihelp, then the documents that can be opened directly using help cmd command can also be opened online using ihelp cmd, including both detailed PDF versions and simple HTML versions.

To enhance the convenience of citation, the ihelp command also incorporates various formatting options, including markdown, txt, ms, latex, texfull, and format(#), enabling users to access web links to the online help files in their desired format, which will be automatically copied to the clipboard. Moreover, ihelp can also deal with the command abbreviation problems and list commands similar to the specified command when abbreviation can not be uniquely identified.

In brief, just add a www before help, and you are enjoying Stata's powerful and desirable help.

Options

Main Options

web quickly open a simple HTML version, which by default open a detailed PDF document

Formatting Options：provide web links to online help documents, which can be put into specific format and automatically copied to the clipboard

markdown displaying the web link in Markdown format. For example, ihelp regress, markdown displays the text in the following format:

[**[R]** regress](https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf)

It can be copied to a Markdown file and displayed as a clickable link: [R] regress

txt displaying the web link in text (command:URL) format. For example, ihelp regress, txt displays the text in the following format:

[R] regress: https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf

It can be copied to the dialog box of Facebook or WeChat for Chinese users as

[R] regress: https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf

ms sends a rich text punctuated with links to the clipboard, which can be pasted easily to the MicroSoft Word. For example, ihelp regress, ms, When pressing ’Command+V’ in the MicroSoft Word, the text will appear as a clickable
link. [R] regress

However, this option has some limitations. It requires Stata 16 or newer versions of Stata to be installed as well as python, because the commands call the Windows API through Stata's interaction with Python; and it is currently only available for Windows systems. Otherwise, it will automatically switch to the txt option, which displays a plain text with links. (command:URL)

texfull displaying the web link in full TeX text format. For example, ihelp regress, texfull displays the text in the following format:

\href//www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf{\bfseries{[\MakeUppercase] regress}}

It can be inserted into a .tex document, which will displayed as a clickable link in the PDF file when compiled using a TeX editor: [R] regress

latex displaying the web link in Latex format. For example, ihelp regress, latex displays the text in the following format:

\stihelp[r]

It can be inserted into a .tex document, which will displayed as a clickable link in the PDF file when compiled using a TeX editor: [R] regress

Note: Since \stihelp is a new user-defined command, it needs to be defined by adding the following to the introductory section of the .tex document.

\newcommand{\stihelp}[2][r]{

\href//www.stata.com/manuals/#1#2.pdf{\bfseries{[\MakeUppercase{#1}] #2}}

}

format(#) displaying web links in three supporting Markdown preset formats.

format(1) is rendered in Markdown as [R] regress. The text displayed is formatted as follows:

[**[R]** regress](https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf)

format(2) is rendered in Markdown as regress. The text displayed is formatted as follows:

[regress](https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf)

format(3) is rendered in Markdown as help regress. The text displayed is formatted as follows:

[help regress](https://www.stata.com/manuals/rregress.pdf)

clipoff deselect copying to the clipboard

Examples

* Basic use: open help document

. ihelp pwcorr

. ihelp clip(), web

. ihelp mata function

. ihelp twoway scatter, web

. ihelp sum

* Auxiliary use: provide web link

. ihelp twoway scatter, m

. ihelp import excel, w web

. ihelp xtreg, latex

. ihelp xtreg, tex

. ihelp xtreg, f(2)

. ihelp xtreg, f(3) clipoff

Stored results

You can view the stored results through return list (see return) after using ihelp:

. r(link) web links (URLs) to PDF help documents

. r(link_web) web links (URLs) to web versions of help documents

. r(link_m) markdown formatted web link text

. r(link_txt) command:URL formatted web link text

. r(link_l1) LaTeX raw formatted web link text

. r(link_l2) LaTeX custom-formatted web link text

. r(link_f1) first pre-formatted web link text

. r(link_f2) second pre-formatted web link text

. r(link_f3) third pre-formatted web link text

Author

Yujun,Lian* (连玉君)

. Lingnan College, Sun Yat-Sen University, China.

. E-mail: arlionn@163.com

. Blog: https://www.lianxh.cn.

Yongli,Chen (陈勇吏)

. Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.

. E-mail: yongli_chan@163.com

Citation

Chen Yongli, Yujun Lian. Browse and cite Stata manuals easily: the
wwwhelp command. The Stata Journal, 2024, forthcoming, --PDF--.

Also see

Online: help, wwwhelp (same as ihelp)